Tech News

Snapchat Introduces Topic Chats for Public Discussions on Trending Events

Highlights

Snapchat Topic Chats let users join conversations around trending events by clustering related Snaps across Stories, Spotlight, and search.
Users can see which friends are in the same chat, with joined chats pinned for easy access. Profiles remain private and chats are moderated.
The feature is launching over the next few weeks in the US, Canada, and New Zealand.

(Photo by Rubaitul Azad on Unsplash)

Snapchat has rolled out a new feature aimed at making public conversations more interactive and engaging. The feature, termed Topic Chats, enables users to participate in discussions around trending topics and events by clustering Snaps linked to what the community is talking about.

These Topic Chats appear across multiple sections of the app, including Spotlight videos. It will allow users to quickly explore related content. Here’s everything you need to know about this new feature.

Topic Chats on Snapchat

According to the company’s blog post, Topic Chats will begin rolling out over the next few weeks to users in the US, Canada, and New Zealand. The feature will be accessible through a large yellow button that appears on Stories, Spotlight content, Chat shortcuts, search results, the Stories page, and Spotlight videos.

Its purpose is to help users visually browse trending conversations and dive into the topics gaining traction.

Users can simply tap “Join the Chat” to enter a discussion and view videos linked to a trending theme. Snapchat will also allow users to see whether their friends are part of the same Topic Chats, making it easier to discover shared interests. Joined chats will appear at the top of the Topic Chat page.

To maintain a safe user environment, Snapchat says Topic Chats will be moderated. Additionally, profiles will stay private and non-friends won’t be able to view profiles, send friend requests, or initiate private messages.

Key features –

Enables public engagement by letting users join conversations on trending topics and events.
Groups related Snaps into visual clusters for easier exploration.
Shows when friends are part of the same Topic Chat.
Places joined chats at the top of the Topic Chat page for quick access.
Ensures a safe environment through moderated Topic Chats.
Keeps profiles private from non-friends, blocking unwanted friend requests or direct messages.

Snapchat Topic Chats – Availability

As mentioned above, Topic Chats will be rolling out in phases to Snapchat users in Canada, New Zealand, and the US in the next few weeks.

FAQs

Q1. What are Topic Chats on Snapchat?

Answer. Topic Chats are a new feature that lets users join public discussions around trending topics and events by clustering related Snaps for easy exploration.

Q2. Where can users access Topic Chats in the Snapchat app?

Answer. Users can find Topic Chats via a large yellow button across Stories, Spotlight videos, Chat shortcuts, search results, and the Stories page.

Q3. Is user privacy protected in Topic Chats?

Answer. Yes. Snapchat ensures safety by moderating Topic Chats and keeping profiles private and non-friends can’t view profiles, send requests, or message users.